@imperialctu.bsky.social RIO Team represented today at the @bhiva.bsky.social Spring Conference in Brighton 🤩 RIO Trial results presentation as part of the Oral Abstracts Session one - presented by RIO Chief Investigator, Prof Sarah Fidler 😊 #bhiva25 #riotrial #bnabs

i-base.info/htb/50971 Want to find out more about RIO? The brilliant @hiv-i-base.bsky.social team have published a non-technical Q&A on the recently reported results of the RIO study. Read more about it here ⬆️

Delighted to be able to present my PhD findings of bNAb in gut tissue, alongside the primary RIO trial findings at the Keystone HIV cure symposium in Durban! #KeystoneSymposium #HIVcure2025

At the Keystone HIV cure symposium in Durban, South Africa. Looking forward to a great line up of talks and the chance to meet other cure researchers around the globe! Prof Ndung'u opens the meeting with a keynote talk on combination HIV cure approaches in resource limited settings.

RIO is an international collaboration bringing together researchers from Rockefeller, Imperial College London, University of Oxford, and clinical sites across UK and Europe. Here are some of our investigators unwinding after the #CROI2025 conference in San Francisco.

4mthly IV/SC N6LS with mthly CAB maintained viral suppression, but there were a small but significant group of people who experienced viral control failure. Like many other bNAb studies, these findings suggest we may have a while to go for the use of bNAbs as a direct antiviral. #CROI2025

96W CARES CAB/RPV. Efficacy remains high and non-inferior vs continued oral ART (97% <50) 4 VFs on LA (0 on PO) 3/4 with dual class RAMs (1 with baseline RPV RMAs) 1/4 not sequenced. Great results.

Tecovirimat did not lead to faster clinical resolution, or reduction of pain, for clade 2 MPOX. We need new agents to treat MPOX. #CROI2025

Ensitrelvir, a SARS-CoV-2 C3 like protease inhibitor reduced incidence of COVID-19 by two-thirds up to day 10 after exposure. #CROI2025

Frailty was associated with an increased risk of MACE in the REPRIEVE study. However frailty did not seem to impact the effectiveness of pitavastatin on preventing MACE outcomes. Caveat limited sample size and events in this relatively young cohort assessed with low-mod CVD risk. #CROI2025

Findings from the last gift cohort. Although total HIV DNA measures were similar in the spinal cord (SC) compared to the brain, there was higher HIV diversity seen in the SC. SC may be an important site of HIV dispersal. #CROI2025

A real challenge in this field is being able to carefully examine brain and central nervous system tissues over time. People may consent to lumbar punctures but a (or multiple) brain biopsy is much more invasive. Studies like the Last Gift are truly amazing but only allow tissue study after death.

Took a break from science news to write up Monday's inspiring #SaveOurSciences rally at #CROI2025. More of a photo essay, really, with lots of familiar faces. www.poz.com/article/hiv-...

Roger Paredes on Long COVID. Lots of evidence now that viral persistence seen up to 2yrs after initial infection is seen in people with long COVID. LC is associated with increased thromboinflammation. The way forward - greater pt involvement, adaptive RCTs, and vaccination! #CROI2025

It's great to see two more people reported to be in remission from HIV after stem cell transplants at #CROI2025. But stem cell transplants remain a high risk procedure and not feasible for all, and we need safer, more scalable and accessible cure interventions for people living with HIV.

A must-watch: Rebecca Denison, founder of Women Organized to Respond to Life-threatening Diseases (WORLD), delivers the Martin Delaney Presentation at #CROI2025 "40+ Years of #HIV: What’s Changed, What Hasn’t, What Shouldn’t, What Must" Thanks to IAS-USA for making it publicly available.

You can find out more about the latest study developments at riotrial.org

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnFb... RIO chief investigator, Professor Sarah Fidler, was also invited to present at the #CROI2025 press conference, on 10th March 2025. Time stamps of where you can watch about the RIO Trial: Professor Fidler presents (3:05 – 6:22) Press questions (16:04 – 20:10)

RIO Chief Investigator, Prof Sarah Fidler, presented the RIO primary results at CROI Conference 10 Mar 2025. Three quarters of participants who received bNAbs were able to control the virus while off their antiretroviral therapy, compared to those who received a placebo over a 20-week period.

Really exciting data on once yearly Lenacapravir. Safe and well tolerated with little injection site reactions, pain reduced with with pre treatment ice. Trough levels higher than twice yearly formulations. Potentially helpful for pairing with other long acting rx eg. bNAbs in the future?

1st Q down at #CROI2025! Q: In RIO (bNAbs vs placebo in VS ppl undergoing ATI) how were co-morbidities excluded (18% with rebound in the bNAb arm had VLs >1m & we know, e.g. in REPRIEVE, lots of subclinical CAD)? A: Sarah Fidler - RIO young pop. In future biomarkers or more invasive tests may help

At the Stand up for science protest yesterday. There was anger, there was determination. As researchers, clinicians, and activists, we stand together as a community. And the crowd chanted: ACT UP, FIGHT BACK. #CROI2025

Prof Sarah Fidler presents the long-awaited results of #RIOstudy of dual bNAbs vs placebo in people with early HIV. Pts receiving bNAbs were 91% more likely to experience viral suppression up to 20 weeks compared to placebo, and more than a third remained suppressed after two doses beyond 72 wks.

Prof Ole Søgaard opens today's #CROI2025 plenary on the progress of cure research. #bNAbs are promising agents that act beyond ART as theg appear to enhance the frequency of viral control compared to previously reported rates of PTC.

A beautiful closing performance for the #CROI2025 opening session by the SF Gay Men's choir.

Prof Adeeba Kamarulzaman shares how she sought allies, including a religious scholar, to successfully implement opoid replacement harm reduction programmes in Malaysia. However science isn't enough, and she shares the challenges and progress in changing drug policies and laws. #CROI2025

A powerful talk by Rebecca Denison, founder of WORLD and woman living with HIV. We can't go back to the days without treatment access. Silence is death. And courage is a decision. The hall erupted in a standing ovation. #CROI2025

Rebecca Denison, writer, advocate, founder of womenhiv.org/world-history/ gives the Martin Delaney lecture at #croi2025 "Transgender & non-binary people have always existed & always will" Diagnosed with HIV 1990 she was told "most people find it best to not tell too many people"

CROI chair Prof Havlir reaffirm the commitment of CROI to support scientific gatherings with free exchange of ideas, and condemns the censoring of science. She also highlights the response to US federal policy changes. #CROI2025

Exciting talk on liver steatosis by Dr Khalili - a number of promising treatments for liver steatosis, including GLP1 agonists (yet another thing GLP1 is good for!) #CROI2025

Dr Joseph Eron gives an excellent overview of cure research highlights at #CROI2025. Why a cure is still needed, and likely strategies including bNAbs cure strategies.

Really powerful to hear video testimonies from people living with HIV to introduce each section in the new investigators workshop at #CROI2025. Particularly as the follow up questions highlight how the recent funding restrictions have affected HIV research, care delivery, and medication access.

At CROI San Francisco! #CROI2025 Amidst a sombre mood with uncertainties faced by researchers across the field, we come together in solidarity. But looking forward to lots of exciting updates, including our #RIOstudy results! Will be posting updates on bluesky and LinkedIn so follow for updates.

blogs.imperial.ac.uk/imperial-med... I can't not talk about the work we're doing in new HIV treatments and cure on #WorldAIDSDay. My supervisor, Professor Sarah Fidler, and Jonas Bergmann, from Amsterdam, share their thoughts on the evolution of HIV treatments and cure, and ongoing challenges.

blogs.imperial.ac.uk/imperial-med... It's #WorldAIDSDay 2024. Professor Alan Winston, @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social, shares how language contributes to stigma, and how we can reduce discrimination and empower people with person-centred language in medicine and research.

Out from colleagues in Zimbabwe www.thelancet.com/journals/lan... STITCH was cluster RCT evaluating if access to screening reduced STI prevalence in young people. Intervention reduced GC but not CT or TV. One of 1st studies anywhere (not just global south) to show some impact of STI screening.

New to Bluesky? Check out the one-click starter packs by @positivelad.bsky.social to follow sexual health and HIV bluers!

Y’all are going to need some infectious diseases experts #IDSky Starter Packs IDSky 1 go.bsky.app/LnAQjdq IDSky 2 go.bsky.app/JNfSvQT IDSky 3 go.bsky.app/FeogT7o IDSky 4 go.bsky.app/D1zxj4E IDSky 5 go.bsky.app/NgGSPeF IDSky 6 go.bsky.app/22VBL8z #MedSky

If altmetric is here, the journals are hopefully soon to follow.

Really helpful tips for those new to Bluesky like me!

Fascinating talk on ethics of cure research from Karine Dube & a shout-out for www.peoplefirtcharter.org! Great talk calling for justice informed cure trials with ATIs & a summary of the updated ATI consensus which you can read more about here: www.santheafrica.org/our-gallery/... #HIVglasgow

Meet Sesame and Olive I also post cat pictures (for more reasons to follow me). #ragdoll #britishshorthair

#HIVGlasgow @drlaurajwaters.bsky.social shows systematic review of adverse events on statins. Helpful ++ for shared-decision making with PLWH. She mentions potential benefit in vascular dementia and that muscle aches can resolve if statin continued. BHIVA recommends statins for PLWH > 40 yrs

Powerful slide from @tristanjbarber.bsky.social that illustrates issues affecting older people with HIV. Another slide comes from Glasgow Manifesto: we need action today, otherwise quality of life and lives will be lost. #HIVGlasgow2024

A wee reminder to all at HIV Glasgow.....treatments fail, people don't. Please don't call people 'treatment failures', they experience treatment failure, Thank you. www.peoplefirstcharter.org #HIVglasgow #HIVglasgow2024 @juanmichaelii.bsky.social @tristanjbarber.bsky.social

Delighted to be joining Bluesky to reconnect with friends and colleagues from #HIVsky #GUMsky #SexualHealthsky #IDsky #Medsky. I'm a sexual health/HIV physician interested in novel HIV therapeutics, ageing & comorbidities care, STI/HIV access to key populations. Follow me and I'll follow back!